Suspect in priest’s 1992 slaying gets life for other crimes

Published: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:22 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 at 11:24 a.m.

The 33-year-old Thibodaux resident accused of killing a priest more than 19 years ago was given a life prison sentence Tuesday for several felony convictions he has racked up in the nearly two decades since the alleged murder took place.

Derrick Odomes, 33, is accused of bludgeoning the Rev. Hunter Horgan to death in August 1992 inside the rectory of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. Odomes was 14 at the time of the priest’s death.

He was arrested and charged with the killing in September 2007, though a judge ruled last year that he can’t be sentenced if convicted because of his age at the time of Horgan’s death.

Under state law, a person convicted of four or more felonies and declared a habitual offender can face between 20 years and life in prison.

District Judge John E. LeBlanc handed down the maximum sentence after a two-hour hearing Tuesday, a key decision that ensures Odomes will serve significant jail time regardless of the uncertainty over any sentence he could get if convicted of Horgan’s murder.

LeBlanc ruled last year that Odomes could not be sentenced for Horgan’s death because he is older than 21, the maximum age juveniles could be punished for a crime, according to 1992 state law.

The state 1st Circuit Court of Appeal denied District Attorney Cam Morvant’s request to overturn LeBlanc’s decision but left the possibility open for revisiting the issue.

Adults convicted of first-degree murder in Louisiana face life imprisonment or death. The appeals court ruled that evaluating possible punishment at this point is premature.

“No matter what happens and no matter what the judge sentences him to, he is now serving natural life,” said Kristin Russell, the assistant DA who led the prosecution. “This will stand alone.”

Among Odomes felony convictions was a theft charge, aggravated flight from an officer, simple escape, identity theft and intimidation of a witness.

The intimidation charge stems from his time in the Lafourche Parish jail, when he exposed himself to jail guard Haley Burkett.

Burkett told a jury in May that Odomes threatened her in March 2010, months after she filed the obscenity charge, telling her he would come after her after he got out of jail.

“He was a six-time felon. He needed to be put away,” Morvant said, also praising Russell for her role in the hearing.

Lynden Burton, Odomes’ New Iberia-based attorney, can choose to appeal one of the felony convictions, but at least three would have to be overturned to nullify the multiple offender sentence, Russell said.

“We were pretty confident we had at least four (felonies),” she said. “We have six.”

Burton did not return a phone call Monday morning.

Morvant will be the lead prosecutor for the murder trial. Jury selection for the trial is set to begin Tuesday.

Staff Writer Nate Monroe can be reached at 448-7639 or at nate.monroe@dailycomet.com.

<p>The 33-year-old Thibodaux resident accused of killing a priest more than 19 years ago was given a life prison sentence Tuesday for several felony convictions he has racked up in the nearly two decades since the alleged murder took place. </p><p>Derrick Odomes, 33, is accused of bludgeoning the Rev. Hunter Horgan to death in August 1992 inside the rectory of St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. Odomes was 14 at the time of the priest's death. </p><p>He was arrested and charged with the killing in September 2007, though a judge ruled last year that he can't be sentenced if convicted because of his age at the time of Horgan's death. </p><p>Under state law, a person convicted of four or more felonies and declared a habitual offender can face between 20 years and life in prison. </p><p>District Judge John E. LeBlanc handed down the maximum sentence after a two-hour hearing Tuesday, a key decision that ensures Odomes will serve significant jail time regardless of the uncertainty over any sentence he could get if convicted of Horgan's murder. </p><p>LeBlanc ruled last year that Odomes could not be sentenced for Horgan's death because he is older than 21, the maximum age juveniles could be punished for a crime, according to 1992 state law.</p><p>The state 1st Circuit Court of Appeal denied District Attorney Cam Morvant's request to overturn LeBlanc's decision but left the possibility open for revisiting the issue.</p><p>Adults convicted of first-degree murder in Louisiana face life imprisonment or death. The appeals court ruled that evaluating possible punishment at this point is premature.</p><p>“No matter what happens and no matter what the judge sentences him to, he is now serving natural life,” said Kristin Russell, the assistant DA who led the prosecution. “This will stand alone.”</p><p>Among Odomes felony convictions was a theft charge, aggravated flight from an officer, simple escape, identity theft and intimidation of a witness. </p><p>The intimidation charge stems from his time in the Lafourche Parish jail, when he exposed himself to jail guard Haley Burkett. </p><p>Burkett told a jury in May that Odomes threatened her in March 2010, months after she filed the obscenity charge, telling her he would come after her after he got out of jail.</p><p>“He was a six-time felon. He needed to be put away,” Morvant said, also praising Russell for her role in the hearing.</p><p>Lynden Burton, Odomes' New Iberia-based attorney, can choose to appeal one of the felony convictions, but at least three would have to be overturned to nullify the multiple offender sentence, Russell said. </p><p>“We were pretty confident we had at least four (felonies),” she said. “We have six.”</p><p>Burton did not return a phone call Monday morning.</p><p>Morvant will be the lead prosecutor for the murder trial. Jury selection for the trial is set to begin Tuesday.</p><p>Staff Writer Nate Monroe can be reached at 448-7639 or at nate.monroe@dailycomet.com.</p>